According to Dell’Oro Group, global data center spending is expected to grow to $1.7 trillion by 2030. In line with that approach, The Motley Fool’s research There are suggestions that major artificial intelligence (AI) companies could increase capital spending by about 50% or more in 2026.
These projections point to huge opportunities for chip makers and companies that build data centers that power AI. Here are three AI infrastructure stocks to consider buying for the long term.
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1. Nvidia
Even after its demonic phase, NVIDIA (NVDA 2.13%) There is still a lot of fuel left in the tank. In addition to selling graphics processing units (GPUs), the company sells computing systems and software that equip hyperscalers with all the essential components needed to train cutting-edge AI models and deploy cloud applications.
The majority of Nvidia’s revenue comes from its data center segment, which grew an impressive 75% compared to the previous quarter. What’s even more telling is that revenue grew 22% sequentially compared to the previous quarter, indicating strong near-term momentum.
While the stock commands an expensive-looking market cap of $4 trillion, that valuation is supported by high margins from data center chip sales. The company earned $120 billion in trailing 12-month net income. These high margins show that there are no viable alternatives to Nvidia’s GPU technology. It supplies huge quantities of the most powerful computing systems on a scale that no one else can compare with.
Nvidia expects cumulative purchase orders for its current Blackwell and upcoming Rubin GPUs to exceed $1 trillion by 2027. Given any sudden slowdown in data center spending, nvidia stock Should provide solid long-term returns. It’s trading at just 21 times this year’s consensus estimate.
today’s change
(-2.13%) $-3.65
current price
$167.59
key data points
market cap
$4.1T
day limit
$167.01 -$170.96
52wk range
$86.62 -$212.19
volume
6.9M
average volume
177m
gross margin
71.07%
dividend yield
0.02%
2. Nebius Group
All these chips have to be plugged in somewhere. Nebius Group (NBIS 4.76%) AI is emerging as a top data center builder to meet the growing demand for cloud infrastructure. Last year, it signed billion-dollar deals with top AI companies to expand computing capacity.
Demand for AI compute continues to far outstrip supply, and Nebius is seeing this firsthand. It reported a 547% increase in revenue year-over-year in the fourth quarter. The company is now generating annual run rate revenue of $1.2 billion, and management expects that to reach $7 billion to $9 billion by the end of 2026.
Building data centers is capital-intensive, but Nebius could enjoy attractive long-term economics. It builds its own data centers and computing racks, reducing costs compared to outsourcing. On an adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) basis, it posted 24% margins in Q4 2025, more than double over the past two years.
A broader slowdown in AI data center spending could impact its revenue and margin targets, which is a risk to watch in the AI ​​data center market. Still, with hyperscalers consistently reporting demand for cloud services exceeding available data center capacity, builders like Nebius are well-positioned to deliver further growth for shareholders.
today’s change
(-4.76%) $-5.05
current price
$100.92
key data points
market cap
$25B
day limit
$100.27 -$106.15
52wk range
$18.31 -$141.10
volume
550K
average volume
15
gross margin
-765.63%
3. Hut 8
Another data center stock worth considering is Cottage 8 (cottage 6.28%). The company is focusing on securing power at scale for its data center pipeline – one of the biggest hurdles in building new data centers today. It builds and leases data center capacity to leading AI companies under long-term contracts.
Hut 8 recently signed a 15-year, $7 billion deal with Fluidstack and Anthropic, backed by alphabetGoogle’s. Under the agreement, Hut 8 will supply an initial 245 MW to Anthropic, with more than 2 gigawatts of data center capacity to be delivered over time. This probably won’t be the last deal it announces.
Hut 8 is developing a massive 8.5 gigawatt pipeline. It has tremendous growth potential, but it comes with execution risk. There may be construction delays and other unexpected problems that delay revenue goals. But it is a positive indicator that the company has secured project financing from top companies JP Morgan And Goldman Sachs. This endorsement shows that Hut 8 can execute and deliver on its growth strategy.
The stock’s $5.8 billion market cap looks low relative to the value of its Anthropic deal. While this highlights the risks involved in building new data centres, it also points to significant long-term benefits for investors if all goes well. Over the next decade, Hut 8 could be a big stock in demand AI infrastructure Increases. Analysts estimate its adjusted EBITDA will grow from $130 million in 2026 to $746 million by 2028, which could send the stock higher if it meets those projections.
